Cigars



T. THORPEL MACHINE FOR MAKING GIGARS.

No. 26,382. Patented 1360.6, 1859.

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THOMAS THoRP, OE'N'EWdZQRK, 1

A EN CE i. MACHtNE Foe MAKlNG me/ms. I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent 26.352. dated December 6,E59.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing a transverse section of the machine, Fig.2 is'a front elevation of a port-ion,-and Fig. 3 is a plan view of aportion.

Similar letters of reference .indieate' like parts in all the drawings.

The object of my invention is toproduce a machine which is simple initsconst-rriction, of little cost, portable, and accomplishes thepurpose of manufacturing cigars at a great saving of labor and expense.

In order to enhble others skilled in the art to make and usemy'invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operationby the aid of the drawings, and of the letters of reference markedthereon. I

A is a cylindrical or slightly barrel-shaped drum, having at one end agear-wheel some what larger, as represented. It is. mounted on the shaftA.

B is a similar but smaller drum geared to A, and is mounted on the shaftb.

C is a belt of india-rubber or other suitable" elastic material, and diethe joint or butt where the ends are united. This belt winds around thedrums A and B, and also around the rollers M M M M N N N N, arranged asrepresented. The upper tier of these rollers M N is mounted in a movableframe, m, hinged at the point m, so that they may at pleasure be liitedinto the position shown by the red lines.

D is a large wheel gearing into A. It is provided with rungs d d,allowing D to be worked by the feet of the operator. By treadingalternately on therungs a continuousmotion may be imparted to D.'andconsequently .to the wheels A and B and to the belt 0, or, by giving aproper impulse at the moment of introducing the material the belt 0 maybe moved to such distance as is necessary to complete the operation andallow it to be stopped at exactly the right moment without continuingthe rolling process too long, thereby in juring the cigar. The materialis supplied from the inclined table 15, and the cigar formed betweenthe-parts of thebeltin the central space between the eight rdl'lers M N.

On; the exterior; of the fixed frame of the machine aretwojsuitablecatches, F, and on the frame at are two levers, G,- pl'ov-ided withhooks or shoulders at the lower end, and hinged at g y, as showuinFig.2.. The upper ends of these leversare bent toward each other and arepressed upward by springs H. On depressing' these ends in grasping thecross-bar m.of the frame "m the levers G may be disengaged from F, andthe .frame.

m, with its. attachments, may be lifted. O11 placing m again in itsfirst position, as shown in blue, the'inner ends, G G, are allowed torise, 1 and the hooks engage the catches F and retain their hold untilagain released by the hand. The bearings a andb of the drums A i B are:mounted in a single sliding block, I,

which is fitted to move in a curve, the center of which curve is thecenter of the wheel D. A rack, J, is provided near the path of the blockI, and by means of apawl which catches in J the block I is retainedin'any desired position. The rollers N are a little longer than therollers M, as shown in Fig. 3, and are; of

very small diameters, except at and near their ends. The increase ofdiameter toward their ends is gradual, as represented, and is accuratelyadapted to give the proper conoidal. form to the head of the cigars. Thebelt 0,-

machine. By having the ends of the rollers N similar in form, so thateither can be made the head of the cigar, I am enabled to operate withadvantage on both halves of a leaf by the-same machine. a y

In operatlng my machine, the attendant gives motion to the wheel D byhis feet, and

supplies material from E by hishands, as rep resented. The material isrolledand compressed between the two parts of the elastic belt 0. Thetension of the belt and the positive pressure of the small rollers Nacting thereon compresses the cigar to the precise extent or degreerequired. The tension of the belt C- is regulated at pleasure by movingI backward or forward by means of the rack J or the pawl K. The belt Gis0 erated upon by the slightly-swelled surfaces {0th of B and A. Thesurfaces of each are mad to travel with the same velocity, andconsequently the tension on the part of the belt 0 above the cigar isequal to that below it in all positions of the block- I. Any givenposition of the belt is effective on the material during only a smallportion of its travel, and is consequently worn out or effected thereby,but very slowly, as it .will endure much longerthan if the belt beshorter. By employing a single belt 0 and causing it to travel around AB, and the several rollers M N, arranged as in my invention, the belt 0is made to endure longer than otherwise, and .it is more readilyreplaced, as only one joint is to be made; By the ranged wheel D, madein connection therewith in the manner here explained, the motionisperfectl y controlled, so that the material is introduced andmanipulated to better advantage than when the motion is eitherrigorously uniform or in any way ungovernable.

By means of the block I and ratchet and pawl J'K, the two wheels A and Bare moved toward or from the rollers M N'without affecting theirdistance from D, and the belt being thereby tightened or slackened withproper degree, the operation is caused equally to'afi'ect that part ofthe belt which presses on the upper side, and that which presses. on thelower side'of the cigar and gives any required press ure.

I do not claim as my invention, the manufacture of cigars'by compressingthe'material between one elastic belt traversing in one direction andanother traversing in an opposite direction; nor doI claim supportingand grinding the belt or belts by passing it or them between rollers,except when arranged in' the manner represented above by the eightrollers M N and drums A B, or with the omission of the small rollers Nbut,

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is-' V 1. The arrangement of thedrums or pulleys A B in connection with the rollers M and belt G, withor without the rollers N, substantially as and for the purposes hereinset forth.

2. In connection with the above,the runged wheel D or its equivalent,arranged and operated in the manner and for the purposes herein setforth.

3. The means, substantially as herein described, of regulating thepressure on the oi gar.

4, The arrangement ofa machine, substantially as herein set fort-h,as'an arrangement not heretofore known, for.the purposes hereinbeforementioned.

5. The peculiar steady curvesor bends givento the belt 0, for thepurposes herein mentioned. I

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of October,in ther year 18.59.

THOMAS THORP.

Witnesses:

' J OHN Hoorn,

GEO. BARKER.

